Sub-Size Impact Testing: CISE Experience and the Activity of the ESIS TC5 Sub-Committee

A suitable test technique and experimental procedure have been developed in CISE for instrumented impact testing of sub-sized Charpy specimens, both V-notched and fatigue precracked, on a 40 J small-scale drop-weight machine. The test technique will be described, including unusual test features, such as in situ temperature conditioning. The results of a series of tests performed on sub-size Charpy specimens will be presented, allowing the influence of various test parameters to be evaluated. Comparisons with standard, full-size specimen data will be presented and discussed as well. Finally, the activity of a Working Group on Instrumented Impact Testing of Miniaturized Charpy V-notch Specimens, active within ESIS Technical Committee 5 and chaired by the author, will be briefly described.